Big respect to Rattle, a record company which has been releasing New Zealand recordings ...beyond the regimented lines of classical and contemporary boxes for some years now.
There is a warmth and attractiveness about the whole project, and this extends right throughout every detail..
In his career so far, Michael Houstoun has: performed and recorded the 32 piano sonatas of Beethoven; worked with conductors Eduardo Mata, Neville Marriner, Franz Paul Decker and Alexander Lazarev; and worked closely with leading New Zealand composers such as John Psathas.
Michael’s first outing with Rattle was on John’s award winning debut Rhythm Spike. Since then he has followed this up by featuring extensively on John’s View From Olympus concerto album. More recently Michael initiated a project to record a suite of contemporary New Zealand solo piano music under his own name, due for release soon.
Raised on a farm in New Zealand, he studied with MAURICE TILL in the south island. After winning every significant prize for pianists in the country by age 18, he was a major prize winner at three of the world's leading piano competitions: Van Cliburn (1973), Leeds Piano (1975), and the Tchaikovsky Competition (1982).
Following his early international successes, he lived in London and in the US, appearing in QUEEN ELIZABETH Hall and the CARNEGIE, furthering his study, and recording for EMI
In the eighties Michael Houstoun decided to devote his life to music in his native land. His restless creativity, his seeking of new challenges, and his giving back to the culture that nurtured him, has confirmed is stature as New Zealand's finest musician.
Michael has performed regularly with every professional orchestra in New Zealand, and is equally prominent as a recitalist and chamber music collaborator. He makes a point of frequently appearing with small groups and travelling to smaller centres - giving generously of his time to help spread the love of music and promote high musical standards.
He played the complete 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas in a series of cycles in the 1990s, (recorded with Trust CDs). He performed the complete Rachmaninov Works for Piano and Orchestra with the NZSO as a cycle series, and has appeared in recital and as orchestra soloist throughout Australia as well as in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
While much of Michael’s reputation has been built on traditional piano repertoire, more recently he has been increasingly heard performing New Zealand music – notably by John Psathas, Gao Ping, Douglas Lilburn, Ken Young, Victoria Kelly and also by Australian resident jazz pianist Mike nock. This recent focus forms the basis of his upcoming release on Rattle.
Michael’s television appearances include the 1996 Franz Liszt feature Icon in B Minor, filmed in Germany, and Piano Man (2005), which documents the New Zealand premiere of John Psathas' View From Olympus concerto with the CSO.